The 2023 Cabo Wabo 250 was the 21st stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 31st iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, August 5, 2023, in Brooklyn, Michigan at Michigan International Speedway, a permanent quad-oval shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 125 laps to complete. John Hunter Nemechek, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would take advantage of a late-race restart, and hold off the rest of the field to earn his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his fifth of the season. Nemechek would also dominate the majority of the race, leading a race-high 65 laps. To fill out the podium, Josh Berry and Brandon Jones, both driving for JR Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Background Michigan International Speedway is a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet02Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet6Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Stefan ParsonsSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet08Mason Maggio (i)SS-Green Light RacingFord8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Ross Chastain (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet16Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet18Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Ty Gibbs (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota25Brett MoffittAM RacingFord26Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord31Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord38Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Mason MasseyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53C. J. McLaughlinEmerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet66Sage KaramMBM MotorsportsFord74Dawson CramCHK RacingChevrolet77Carson Hocevar (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet78Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, August 4, at 3:35 PM EST, and would last for 20 minutes. Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 38.875, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet38.875185.209218Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota39.056184.351319Ty Gibbs (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota39.067184.299Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, August 4, at 4:05 PM EST. Since Michigan International Speedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, one-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole. Josh Berry, driving for JR Motorsports, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 37.985, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed18Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet37.985189.54927Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet38.239188.289321Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet38.261188.18141Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet38.303187.975598Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord38.314187.921616Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet38.329187.847777Carson Hocevar (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet38.362187.686819Ty Gibbs (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota38.382187.588918Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota38.433187.3391020John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota38.454187.2371110Ross Chastain (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet38.454187.2371225Brett MoffittAM RacingFord38.454187.2371300Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord38.471187.154149Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet38.531186.863152Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet38.552186.7611611Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet38.554186.7511748Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet38.564186.7031878Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet38.642186.3261924Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota38.643186.3212091Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet38.691186.0902128Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord38.749185.8112239Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord38.755185.7822327Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet38.799185.5722431Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet38.823185.4572526Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota38.883185.171264Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet39.001184.6112751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet39.035184.4502838Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord39.199183.6782992Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet39.290183.2533007Stefan ParsonsSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet39.409182.6993108Mason Maggio (i)SS-Green Light RacingFord39.451182.5053274Dawson CramCHK RacingChevrolet39.471182.4123366Sage KaramMBM MotorsportsFord39.494182.306Qualified by owner's points3445Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet39.601181.8143543Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet39.619181.7313635Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord39.626181.699376Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet39.644181.6163802Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet39.826180.786Failed to qualify3944Mason MasseyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet39.502182.2694053C. J. McLaughlinEmerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet39.742181.169Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 30 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1028Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9300Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord8416Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet7598Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord669Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet5721Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4839Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord391Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet21078Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 30 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts120John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1027Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet9319Ty Gibbs (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0498Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord7521Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet6600Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord578Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet481Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet399Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet21025Brett MoffittAM RacingFord1 Stage 3 Laps: 65 Pos.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts11020John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota12565Running50218Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet1250Running483149Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet1250Running414819Ty Gibbs (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota12522Running0541Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1250Running376598Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1251Running4471110Ross Chastain (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1250Running081748Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet1250Running2992431Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1250Running28102327Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1250Running2711321Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1250Running3612152Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1250Running25132239Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord1250Running271427Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet12532Running42151611Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet1250Running22161300Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord1250Running34171225Brett MoffittAM RacingFord1254Running21181878Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1250Running20192128Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1250Running1820616Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1250Running24212526Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota1240Running16222992Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1240Running15233543Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1240Running14243445Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1240Running13253366Sage KaramMBM MotorsportsFord1241Running12262751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1240Running11272838Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord1240Running10283274Dawson CramCHK RacingChevrolet1240Running929376Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet1230Running830264Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1230Running7313007Stefan ParsonsSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1230Running632777Carson Hocevar (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet1230Running0333802Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet1230Running4343635Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord1200Running3352091Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet910Electrical2361924Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota390Accident1373108Mason Maggio (i)SS-Green Light RacingFord160Accident038918Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota110Accident1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 John Hunter Nemechek 811 1 2 Austin Hill 811 (-0) 3 Justin Allgaier 777 (–34) 4 Cole Custer 725 (–86) 5 Josh Berry 660 (–151) 6 Sam Mayer 630 (–181) 7 Chandler Smith 612 (–199) 8 Daniel Hemric 601 (–210) 1 9 Riley Herbst 574 (–237) 1 10 Sammy Smith 558 (–253) 11 Sheldon Creed 552 (–259) 12 Parker Kligerman 534 (–277)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References